...I didn't buy it.
I have been waiting to find these for so long, and today at Toy Works, they had 3 of them (not to mention the Deluxe Geonosian, Deluxe Yoda and Deluxe C-3PO). This was the first time that my area has had any these and I thought it was a cool find.
I picked up one Clone and walked around to look at some other things, all the while deciding whether or not I should purchase it.
Lately, I have been quite disappointed with what Hasbro's been churning out, and even though I've heard such great things about this, I put it back on the peg. I just couldn't justify to myself the spending of $12 plus tax on something that I know I'll have some kind of problem with.
So, first, am I nuts? I mean, is this the best piece that Hasbro's ever made and will I regret not buying it?
And second, is anyone else feeling the way that I am right now? I mean, obviously, I know that there are (and always have been) a lot of people upset with Hasbro and a lot of people have threatened to quit buying. But I'm talking more recent. Because I've always given them the benefit of the doubt, even if I've been really peeved - I've kept right on buying. But now, I carefully weigh every purchase I'm going to make, and a lot of things just aren't making the cut anymore...

End...

Prince Xizor

04-21-2003, 03:14 PM

Actually, I was having that problem until recently. It was the new stuff, including the Deluxe Clonetrooper, that got me psyched about Star Wars stuff again. The waves with TA Anakin, Epant Mon, Fett Pilot,Yodi Council, Lott Dodd, and CA Padme, were very dissapointing and I had really no motive to go hunting for Hasbro's crap on a regular basis. I got caught up in other stuff like Lord Of The Rings and Marvel. But then I came across the Deluxe Clonie, Darth Tyrannus, and Aalya Secura and all of a sudden, I wanted to go to the Star Wars section first.

Go back and get that damned toy. It's worth it.

Dark Marble

04-21-2003, 03:48 PM

Yes I know how you feel. And I don't blame you. I started to feel it around the end of the summer when AOTC came out. I was not impressed with the figures or the distribution and was really losing my drive to collect Star Wars. I am still a big fan of the movies, and have had a long run with collecting the figures and vehicles. But I lost it. Funny that you mention the deluxe clone trooper because that is where it ended for me too.

I found several on two occasions and passed on it both times. My plan was to get two of the bikes and two of the gunships and load them up. But it never happened. I only ended up with one bike that I can't remember how I got and no gunships. I stopped cold turkey. However, you can still love Star Wars, but maybe the collecting isn't for you anymore.

I just recently found some of the "old magic" for some of the figures, and I am thinking about picking some up. My wife even got me a gunship for $25 at KB. But it is a bittersweet relationship, and I still am very very choosy about what I will buy. You are not crazy, I did the same thing more than once. If it becomes that much of a debate, let it go. Star Wars will be here for a long time. :cool:

Sentinel18725

04-21-2003, 03:52 PM

I just found the clone trooper this weekend as well. They had two of them in KB in St. Louis at the Galleria. I screamed like a little girl...I was so happy. Nice to finally get it. Now I want to go and buy the last deluxe figures that I need on clearance.

mm74md

04-21-2003, 04:00 PM

It's not that great. I had 2. I kept one & traded the other. The bike itself is crap and the figure is ok. Save your money unless you need a 100% complete collection.

Darth Jax

04-21-2003, 05:49 PM

if you want to keep him on the card, the deluxe trooper is great. take him out of the package and not so great. the speeder isn't balanced so it won't stand up correctly. the throwing arm action feature makes the figure worthless, can't stay on the speeder. i stuck mine in the gunship just to get it out of the way.

Mr. JabbaJohnL

04-21-2003, 06:11 PM

This is a pretty cool set. The bike is awesome, but the front touches the ground due to improper balancing. The figure is okay. It is posed weird and has a stupid feature that throws the grenade, and works okay but is worthless, really. The blaster is way too short, like the pilot clone's. The blaster from the accessory pack comes in handy here. You should get this one, cause the pros outweigh the cons.

Jargo

04-21-2003, 08:43 PM

All speeder bikes are imbalanced, even the POTF ones. But considering they used softer plastics than the vintage version it's hardly surprising. Everything seems to be made from Jello these days. Safety issues are used as an excuse but it's really cost cutting exercises that are the problem. I don't believe a single word coming from the mouths of hasbroken rubber neckers regarding the safety issues.

I haven't ever seen the deluxe clonetrooper in person. All the other deluxe sets in plenty but the clone just never showed here. I don't want it. I don't like the pinkness of the speeder plastic or the figure so i'm not wasting money on a piece of junk.

As far as being circumspect about spending, i recently sat in my room full of toys and pondered - why? Couldn't answer that one so i asked myself - need? Want? Need came back with a total negative. There is no need to own any of it and want? well I took a long hard look at what's coming out this year. I looked at my budget which can support the purchases of all of it and looked at my space to store it and i though stuff it! If it isn't a special item in some way i won't buy it. So straight of the bat i cut my 2003 shopping list in half. I'm just not interested in the Jello figures anymore. I have certain scenes that i want to build up but I just can't justify buying rubbish products 'because' anymore. I've bought plenty of figures this last year because i wanted the accessory, like the Maul with darkeye probe. Maul now resides in a trash can somewhere while the droid is enjoying life in my bedroom spying on figures and getting sliced by Qui-Gon. But that kind of extravagance is just not going to happen anymore. Buying a figure just to get the accessory is gross excess. And likewise i won't be going nuts for stupid trinkets like silvered figures. I love the hobby and i love my toys, but i don't love how it turns us into rabid freaks in the toystore aisles. I'd rather be selective, have a pride in my purchasing rather than just buy a crapload every time there's a wave released simply to own them all. I'd rather pick out the real quality items and be happy i bought them instead of just tossing a bunch more figures onto the shelf where they merge faceless into the amassing crowd.

I'm overfaced with star wars toys. Time for a diet.

pegger

04-21-2003, 09:16 PM

I think many of us feel the same way...
now compound the less than exciting figures by selling 2x as many as 2001 or 2000 (according to Tycho's list in another thread((62 figs last year comarped with 32 in the previous years)) and you just have overload....

I sat down down too, and came up with a budget for Star Wars stuff this year, and cut down huge amounts from my list (i.e. no repaints (TIE Fighter, Bomber, Jedi Fighter), no Clone War figs, only Movie stuff....

I'm a little disappointed because I was a completionist, and have 1 of everything 1995 to 2001....but now I look at what is coming out, and even some of the stuff I already have and ask myself "why?"

I'm going through my entire collection and making 2 "piles." Stuff I'll keep and display, and stuff that's going into the "kid's play box" because...eh...someone should enjoy them....

RussUAE

04-22-2003, 12:41 AM

Lman316, I reckon you probably made the right decision about the deluxe clone trooper. I bought two, but now regret that. Out of all the clones they are the worst in my view, and look out of place in any dioramas. I've never seen a figure with such a wide stance, it looks painful!

However, the removable armour and helmet is unquestionably good and looks great when all removed and sat in a pile, it's just the actual figure that looks lame.

Adam

04-22-2003, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by EMPEROR JARGO
I haven't ever seen the deluxe clonetrooper in person. All the other deluxe sets in plenty but the clone just never showed here. I don't want it. I don't like the pinkness of the speeder plastic or the figure so i'm not wasting money on a piece of junk.

:confused:

My Clone Trooper Bike isn't pink..... it looks like it should.

Jargo

04-22-2003, 08:16 AM

Pink, red, whatever color it is. I just don't like how it looks because of the type of plastic used and the change in color from the Imperial one. A browner plastic would have looked better. I know it's republic colors like the starfighter but it just doesn't look nice. All the pictures on the net I've seen of it make the thing look pink-ish in tone. And having been immensely disappointed in the speeder bike that came with the AT-ST witrh Jello legs I wasn't going to bother wasting money on more Jello plastic speeders.

Jelplas. Perhaps hasbroken could copyright that term and apply it to all their packaging to describe the goods inside.

"Now with Jelplas!"

tgr3328

04-22-2003, 10:10 AM

I bought the speeder bike loose in an auction and was pleasantly surprized! I know that many of the deluxe figures are disappointing. This is a real issue with me--more often as not, they don't seem to offer as much as the basic figures. If they were cheaper, I would feel better about buying them.

The bike is very nice. It is more detailed than the POTF version and the softer plastic might make it less likely to break. And, it doesn't have the hair-trigger self-destruct feature found on the POTF bike!